Supreme Court Decision on the Muslim Ban

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On Tuesday, June 26, the Supreme Court announced its decision to uphold the Muslim Ban. This third version of the Ban has been in full effect since December 2017 and is now indefinitely codified into law. The Supreme Court upheld that the President has the authority to restrict the entry of people from other countries — in this case, Muslim-majority countries, Venezuela and North Korea — based on “national security.” All of these countries have all been targeted by the U.S. through bombing, military intervention, war-mongering, and sanctions, resulting in forced migration and people seeking refuge in the first place.

This callous indifference to people’s freedom to move, freedom to stay and freedom to return is yet another example of institutions reinforcing the shameful history of racist laws and practices that lay the foundation of the United States – from the genocide of the indigenous people of the Americas to the slavery of people from the African continent. Further, the Trump administration has cited “security concerns” to justify this Muslim Ban, the same justification that was used to place 120,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II.

The stakes are high for our communities. As AROC, we fight for the freedom to move within the U.S., and for those facing white supremacy, racial profiling, displacement, Zionism, apartheid, and settler-colonialism everywhere. AROC will continue to fight back against this Muslim Ban and all restrictions on movement and freedom. From ICE, Border Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security, to the police in the streets and the militarism in our homelands, we are committed to abolishing these structures of oppression and building a world that protects people’s freedom to stay, freedom to move, and freedom to return.

What does this mean for our community?

This decision affirms President Trump’s restrictions for people applying for visas from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. It prevents our family members from coming to the U.S. to be with us. It also prevents people from traveling to the U.S. as visitors. Immigrant visas will not be issued to nationals of any one of these countries. We do not know if and when this law will change. Our families at borders and oversees will continue to be separated.

Know Your Options: Legal Services

Please contact AROC to see if you are exempt from, or can avoid the Muslim Ban. There may be exceptions that apply to some visa cases. If you are a US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) and you have applied for your relative to join you in the U.S., you should seek out an immigration attorney immediately to find out if you or your family member are eligible to apply for a waiver, which would allow your relative to travel to the U.S. AROC’s office is open to your calls and questions and to provide you with an appointment with one of our immigration attorneys, Monday – Thursday, 10am – 3pm.